75th & Canal Co. is Taking a Stand for Houston’s Eastside
"Still Holdin" shorts from 75th Canal & Co.
Image: 75th & Canal Co.
The days of Houston streetwear brands being overlooked are far gone. In Houstonia’s new series, What’s New in Streetwear, we shine a light on local streetwear brands that deserve to be praised for keeping the cities style at the forefront of conversations.
Introducing Victor Bernal, a Houston creative who is the founder of 75th & Canal Co. – a local brand that’s received acknowledgments from rappers Bun B, Le$, and Doughbeezy. “75th & Canal was something that I could put out there without doing too much,” Bernal says. “The East-side of Houston, we don’t have a lot. I went to North Shore High School, we were good at football and that was it. You know we don’t have a rapper in the city — outside of Kirko Bangz — that can put us on or publicly say, you know, this is a staple.”
The name 75th & Canal is reminiscent of the intersection right here in Houston — an important geographical marker for the brand that embodies Houston’s Eastside. Bernal says that he went through a slew of names before he settled on 75th & Canal, and it wasn’t until he visited the locale that he received the revelation of what to name the now-popular brand.
While the label has been in business for 7 years (2014), the designer has seen many successes. However, before the victories, Bernal battled with his creativity and it wasn’t until his friends told him to "get out of his own way" that he decided to bet on himself.
“That’s when I knew, ‘Still Holdin (the company's signature phrase),' in Houston, it can mean so many different things... it’s like you balling, you still in the game, you still here,” Bernal tells Houstonia. While the brand has a substantial following here in Houston, it’s reached different parts of the country like California, Florida, and other spots on the East coast.
75th & Canal’s fan-favorite shorts helped to catapult the brand to new heights, and the brand currently sells all things streetwear apparel — everything from custom Air Force Ones, socks, tee-shirts, and even Crocs charms.
While 75th & Canal has managed to build up an impressive following on Instagram, Bernal still has his hand in all of the day-to-day operations of the brand.
“I touch every part of the brand. When people get it (their orders), I shipped it, I packed it. I did it all," he says. I do have people who are able to help, but for the most part, it's me. 75th isn't something where I'm trying to like misrepresent the city, I want this to grow to a point where Houston has something from a creative aspect," Bernal concludes.
75th & Canal Co. can be found on Instagram at @75NCanalCo, as well as their website, 75thncanalco.com
